We resume the story many years later. Mary has been through a lot and Jesus is now a full-grown man. Life has not been kind to them. Some ten years after our last chapter, Joseph was killed in a work-related accident. Jesus, although the youngest, took over as the man of the house as his older brothers were usually away working. Having had years of experience working with his father, he was capable of working on his own, so he could work to support the family. Indeed, he insisted on doing so, “If I don’t do this for you and my and sisters,” he had told Mary, “I dishonour my father and am not worthy of being your son.”
Mary had to reflect on what a good brother Jesus was. She could see how much he really loved and cared for his siblings. He was such a good role model, playmate and so gentle, yet firm as he got older. She knew he would never abandon them. Years later she would be reminded of all of this.
“But what about your mission?” Mary asked. Jesus had talked increasingly as he grew older of what he believed the Highest One had called him to do. He had also long ago told her that his understanding of his life’s vocation meant he would never marry. Mary had been somewhat disappointed in that. She had seen how good he was with his siblings and believed he would be a wonderful father. As it turned out, he had used those characteristics to help be a better all-around family member.
“There will be time for that,” Jesus had said. And so, Jesus gained experience as a brother-cum-father figure. As he worked he also gained more understanding of the dynamics that shaped the society he found himself in. It had been some years since he had stopped attending synagogue school. His teachers had said he did not need their help anymore; they were not sure there was much more they could teach him. They had encouraged Mary and Joseph to send him away to school. However, his father’s death had put an end to any such ideas with Jesus’ taking over the breadwinner role.
Sometimes Mary was concerned at Jesus’ talk with her about what he saw wrong in their world. It intrigued her that it was not so much the situation with their being under the thumb of Herod and the heel of Rome. He had more to say about how he perceived their own religious leaders failed them. However, he always had kind words for the teachers he had learned from.
Once, when he was old enough that Mary thought he could grasp the significance of what she remembered of what the angels and then the shepherds and visitors from the east had said about him and what they had done at his birth, she had shared all this with him. She told him what Anna and Simeon had said when they had first taken him to the temple. He had sighed when he heard some of those words, especially the part about a sword piercing her own soul. Taking her hands in his, she thought she had seen tears forming on his eyes when he had said so tenderly, “I wish for your sake in some ways the things you heard will not happen.”
Then, a few years back, they had heard that Jesus’ cousin John had begun his mission. Jesus and his parents had sometimes talked about his annunciation and the path his life might take. Word filtered back that John had left his parents’ home in Judea and gone east into the wilderness, living an ascetic life. Then they learned that he was preaching repentance. A repeated theme seemed to be“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near (Matthew 3:1-2).” Later reports said people from Jerusalem, as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him,and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins (Matthew 3:5-6).
Then, one day, a neighbour who had traveled down to see this all for himself, came back to Nazareth with word that John was talking about baptizing with water, for repentance, but that someone was coming after him who was more powerful than he was. Indeed, John was saying that he was not worthy to carry his sandals. John said this person would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). When this man was telling this to Jesus and his mother, who were curious about what was happening with Mary’s cousin, Mary looked over at Jesus to see how he was taking this all in. Indeed, Jesus was leaning forward, listening most attentively. He wanted to know everything the man could tell them, even where John was generally to be found.
When the neighbour had left, Mary asked Jesus, “What does this mean to you? Do you want to go and see what John is doing?”
“I do,” Jesus said, “I think he holds the key to when I am to begin my ministry. But when is the right time for me to go and see him?”
“Jesus,” Mary began, “I know you feel responsible for us here. But you know James and Joseph are able to help us get along. We will be alright. You must fulfil the words given to us around the time of your birth.” Mary’s heart was somewhat heavy as she uttered these words. She knew this was the right thing to do, to release Jesus for that for which he had been born. But at the same time, she loved her son dearly and really wished she did not have to let him go.
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